The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-11-17
From the N. Y. United states Tobacco Journal
Commitments OF the Tobacco Lea
and Chemical Analyses of Amerl
cam TObRCCOS.

From the N. Y. United states Tobacco Journal
Conatituents OF the Tobacco Leaf
can TObACCOS.
We are in receipt of the following:
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. Nov. 3, 1887.
Editors e. S. Tobacco Journal.
Our people are clamorng for chemical analysis Of the
tobacco plant
.end u: marked copy Of the Joarnali N pN'''' -''
Yours truly,
To satisfy the clamor Of the Florida people we
publish the following extensive answer:
CONSTITUENTS OF THE TOBACCO LEAF.
Nicotine (C1oHl4N2 "A volatile oily sub
stance, possessing strong, acrid, tobacco Odor
Il is powerful base, and forms well charac-
tcrizei compounds (saltsl with the stronger
acids. Ii is to this substance that the narcotic
and toxical properties of tobacco are chiefly to
be ascribed, especially when the leaf is chewed
or the decoction is administered internally
When the tobacco is smoked the nicotine is
partly decomposed, and It's decomposition pro-
ducts, together with those of the other constitu-
ents of the leaf, cooperate with the nicotine
that sublimes unaltered 10 produce the physio-
logical effects of the smoke.
Nicotine is present ut very early stage in the
development of the tobacco plant According
to Nessler e. Der Tabak, seine Besiandthcie und
seine Behandleng," Mannheim, 1867. p. 12) it is
present in the ribs and parenchyma of the leaves
OF the young plant when the leaves are only 1t
to Q inches long. The following determinations
by Nessler show the proportions present in
leaves of different degrees OF maturity
Percentage Percentage
Of nicotine of nicotine
in the fresh in the dry
substance. substance.
1. Ribs Of leaves to ~ inches in
q Parenchyma Of leaves q to 2X
inches in length .............. O.31o $40
g. Parenchyna Of leaves l0k inches
wide and 10 inches long ....... 0.660 $3.50
4. Parenchyma OF leaves 81 inches
wide and So inches long 022o 1.4e6
The leaves marked No. are the upper leaves
from the same stalk that furnished the leaves
marked No. 8.
The foregoing results would show that the rel
alive proportion of the nicotine increases with
the age and development OF the leaves. Ac-
cordng to the same su,hor, although the green
leaves contain more nicotine than the fermented
leaves, the nicotine color is not perceptible in
the former; it appears only after fermen tation.
Nicotianine-A volatile substance, OF the con-
sistence and appearance of camphor, possessing
the odor of tobacco, and an acrid, aromatic, and
q bitter taste. According to the analysis Of Bar
raj (Pelouze ct Frenzy: Traite de Chimie," T.
w., D. $780, ii possesses a composition in accord
ance With the formula C2sHs2 M Os. 1t is
chemically an indifferent bstance, forming no
compounds with acids or alkalies and is sup
posed To- be the substance to which the charac-
teristic odor and flavor OF tobacco are chiefly
due.
Rcsnous and Fatty Substances-Tobacco
contains considerable proportion OF resinous
and tatty substances, concerning the nature of
which as yet little is known. That the odor of
the smoke is greatly Influenced BY these sub
stances is more than probable, and this would ap-
pear to be especially true a. regards the question
of their resinous or fatty nature. The finely fla
vored tobacco of Havana and Porto Rico are &C
cording to Nesser Top. cit, p. 29). richer in such
substances than many European tobaccos, the
smoke OF which is strongly charged with the
odor of burning fat, whence he infers that in the
firstnamed varieties the resnous substances are
present in excess of their fats.
Starch (Cs6HeaOs1( ALI tobaccos contain
starch, usually in small proportions, although
under certain conditions az in the experiments
of 6chloesing t. Complies Rendus," Xix, 25s)
the amount may rise to over 10 per cent of the
weight of the dry leaves.
Sugar GLUCOSE, Go H12Os 10 also present in
the fresh (green) plant, usually In small propor-
tons When the tobacco is fermented in the
operation of curing, the sugar usually disappears
heterogeneous Substances Generally (Albumi-
noids(-Besides nicotine and nicotianine tobacco
contains large proportion OF heterogeneous or.
ganc substances. Vauquelin {" Annales de
Chimie," Xxi 89) found vegetable albumen in
green tobacco, and his observations were con.
nrmed by the Investigations of Goupil c'Comp-
tes-Rendus," July, 1846, No. ~ made under the
OuCCuou vi CTcny, anu Oy Inc ANALYSIS OF
Posselt and Reimnnn {" Pharm Centrnlbl.," lS47.
l7D. Tobacco that has become yellow or brown
on drying, no longer contains the albuminous
substance above noted The heterogeneous sub.
stances extracted from harvested and dried to-
bacco are brown, and are TO be regarded as the
products of the moro or less advanced alteration
OF the albumnous substances originally present
In the green leaf These brown heterogeneous
substances approach closely in ther properties
10 the (so called) ulmic acid (Pelouze ct Frenzy,
op. cit. ", $685.
Poetic Acid (C1sHsaOls, Frenzy occurs in va.
rious proportions in tobacco, and gives strength
and stiffness to the leaf. 1t has been generally
assumed to exist in the tobacco In the state of
calcium pectate.
Citric Acid (Oe Hs On } Malic Acid (C4 Ia
Os }. and Oxalic Acid (Ua HI o. l-These acids
are always present in tobacco, the first two in
large, the last In small proportions They exert
very important effect on the quality of the |
leaf
Acetic Acid (Ca IA o. is present In veryinp
and usually small, proportions, and is either |
wholly or at least for the most part product of |
fermentation
Nitric Acid (HNOs) is present in certain
cases 10 considerable quantity. According to
wholly Or In part, 10 the decomposition OF other
Tree access Of air (nitrifcation) Reasons win be
hereafter given which would appear to iustifv
inc opinion that this conclusion Of NessIeFs q
erroneous. and that the nitric acid in tobacco
aas entered the plant through the processes OF